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A Lesson in Patience: Natural Playgrounds Made From Trees

Kids growing up in the mountains where I live love to tie young trees’ trunks into knots. As you drive along the roads, you often see older trees with trunks twisted long ago by young hands. Plantware has taken this concept even further in designing a living playground for children by manipulating roots and trunks.

Plantware has made benches, love seats, street lights, gates, etc. from living trees. “Kinder Forest: A Living Playground” takes the idea even further:

KinderForest gives children real trees to play with, gives parents a natural alternative for their children and gives earth urban reforestation that is functional, enjoyable and green. Creating structures from living trees means that ~95% of the playground’s mass is taken from the air using local sunlight and rain. No gasoline-burning chainsaws, trucks, ships or waste. Such structures can live for 700 years and are self repairing, earthquake safe, oxygen producing and provide a habitat for wildlife coinciding with their purpose for humans.

I don’t know how long it would take for such a playground to be developed, but as a parent, I would love to take my children to a living playground. Imagine the dramatic play that would develop as children explore the shaped trees. Perhaps I will experiment in my own yard in hopes my grandchildren will have a living playground, but isn’t nature already a living playground for young naturalists?

Cool idea, it’ll depend on the execution for how they pull it off, since it really could be ‘jumpstarted’ as a prototype, (e.g. designing around existing groves, etc.)

I love the concept tho as it reminds me of ‘playing house’ inside of hollowed out redwoods and such, and kids’ learning experientially, much the way our new Ca. Academy of Sciences has the ‘living roof’ of butterflies and growth. (can’t WAIT to see it person; just opened this weekend, but the crowds aren’t my thang) I absolutely WILL post about it on ECP soon though: http://www.calacademy.org

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About Eco Child’s Play

Our ethos is to provide news, information, and opinions on natural, green parenting to help your family live a greener, healthier life! Additionally, we offer personal consulting services to help you achieve your green living goals.

Jennifer is a vegetarian, yoga teacher, gardener, hiker, teacher, and mother that has been living off-the-grid for over 20 years.